That Smile
by A Life of Rules is No Fun
Summary: Taken from everything she knew, Darkfire finds herself in a world of demons. Unfeeling with a heart of ice, she must learn to trust once more.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Long time, no write! Yea?! Good news (maybe): This is all in English, so you don't have to worry about remembering a bunch of Japanese translations. But I got this idea and went with it. I'm trying to keep the YuYu (none of whom I own) characters as "realistic" as possible. By "realistic," I mean as real as Togashi made them. This is a totally different story, so the character Darkfire is not the same as any of the others. The writing style I used for this is a little different, so let me know if you like it or not.

Whew! Sorry that was long! I now present, _That Smile. _Enjoy, please!

* * *

Just Walk Out the Door

Darkfire pulled desperately at her chains, the cold metal cutting into her wrists and neck. Her eyes did not cry, though; they stared sharply at the man whom held her captive. He was gazing avidly at a bleeding wound on her right cheek. She would not give him the satisfaction of her pain. Not that there was any pain to feel; she had long ago lost the ability to feel.

Blood slid down her arms.

"The more you struggle, the faster you die," he said.

She pulled harder.

"How long have you been here, pet? You know you can't escape."

Her dull eyes stared at her captor.

Her master of five long years.

He yanked the chain to him, pulling her forward. She fell to the cold stone floor at his feet. Gently, he knelt down and tipped her chin up to him. "You will always be mine." When he grabbed at her ratty, oversized shirt she bit his hand. His other hand, chain wrapped around, beat into the side of her head.

She rolled away, tensing.

The man stood.

Then his head fell away and he dropped to the floor.

Without hesitation, Darkfire pulled the end of the chain from his dead hand. She held the cold steel close to her. Her eyes searched the dark.

A deep voice chuckled, seemingly all about her. "You'll never find me by looking. Not that a human could find me any other way." He paused. "Look to the door. The one's who care are coming."

Suddenly, the door burst open. From the light, three tall figures stumbled.

Darkfire averted her eyes to a darker sight.

"Looks like Hiei took care of the hard part," one said.

"Is that her?" another questioned.

"Take care of the body," the last ordered softly. His voice was kind. He moved into the cold, dark room toward the crouching girl. Stopping a few feet away, he knelt.

"Kurama," one of the voices said from the light.

"Just go." The gentle man before her held out his hand slowly. "We're here to help."

She pulled farther into the room, dragging the excess chain.

He did not advance.

Her eyes adjusted to the new level of brightness. She saw his fire-red hair first. Then his grass-green eyes smiled into hers. His slender fingers reached for her without moving. He gave off a calm aura that threatened to lull her into a state of trust.

"These shackles have no key," she told him finally, voice monotone and dry.

"Neither does a demon's heart, but other's find a way to unlock it," he answered. Slowly and gently, he moved forward. His fingers wrapped around her wrist softly. From his other hand he produced a snaking vine, which inserted itself into the lock. The mechanism clicked and fell away.

Darkfire dropped the chains and thrust her other wrist towards him.

Again, her performed the task there, and then to her neck.

With methodical movement, she tore three strips of cloth from her dirty, blood-stained shirt. She wrapped them around her wrists and neck.

So mechanical.

"Come, let's get you out of here," he then said, standing and offering her a hand.

She did not stand. Did not move.

"Let her stay, fox," the voice from earlier sneered. "She's not ready."

He smiled softly. "We'll wait outside." Then he left, taking the other two with him. She watched for a bit, but a fourth figure never moved into the light.

"If you're worried about the world having changed since you were last in it, you don't have to. You won't be going back. You'll be staying here, in Makai, with me."

"With who?"

Darkfire almost felt his smile. "My name is Hiei."

Her head lowered. "You already know my name."

He moved closer. "Why do you say that?"

"None of you ever asked."

"You're pretty smart for having no contact with people for five years."

"Perhaps." She stood slowly, popping her back and legs. "I don't know how to get out of this place. I don't even remember how I got in. It was a long time ago, as you said."

"Just walk out the door."

She obeyed without thinking much about it. Pushing into the bright light, she held her arm to her eyes. Once her eyes adjusted, she pulled her arm down.

She was outside.

Swaying grass as far as the eye could see, and still farther. The wind brushed her face softly and combed through her long, dirty hair. A warm sun kissed her pale skin and dried her blood. Smells she had forgotten were renewed and remembered. Sights she thought she would never see again were seen freely.

Yet, she did not seem happy.

"It was right here the whole time," she said. There was neither anger nor joy in her voice. It was as dull as her blue eyes. The life that had left them could not be returned by the sun.

No emotion. No feeling.

"Darkfire," the red-head said gently.

She turned her head to him.

"This is Yuusuke"—he motioned to a black-haired boy with chocolate eyes—"and this is Kuwabara"—a tall young man with beady little eyes and bright orange hair.

Both smiled warmly.

"I'm Kurama, if you haven't picked it up yet."

She nodded. "I know. A fox demon."

He smiled, but a hint of confusion was obvious.

"Hiei called you a fox before. And I saw your plant."

"Yes, of course."

"I used to write a lot about demons. Before all this."

"I'm sorry."

"Why? You didn't imprison me."

"He's just trying to be nice," Yuusuke said.

"Oh." Her eyes swung back to Kurama. "Sorry."

His green eyes only smiled. "It's ok."

"You three should report back. I'll take care of the girl," Hiei said, appearing beside Darkfire.

She did not react, merely looked over at him.

Blood-red eyes that saw everything. Midnight hair that reached for the sky it seemed to come from, complete with a white star above his covered forehead. Snow-white scarf from which cascaded a fountain of black ink.

"You sure, Hiei?" Yuusuke questioned.

Hiei merely looked up at him.

He nodded, walking away with Kuwabara and Kurama at his heals.

Kurama looked back one last time and smiled.

"Let's go, girl," Hiei ordered, stalking off in the opposite direction.

Darkfire followed.

"Did he break you?"

"No."

"Yet you obey every order without complaint."

"I never let him touch me. He did not break me."

His hand came from his dark cloak. "I suppose thanks are in order then."

"Why?"

"Had you been broken, I'd have to take you to Reikai."

"So?"

"Since you aren't, I get to stay here in Makai. It would be a simple matter to disappear. For being strong, I thank you."

"Are you leaving me, then?"

"Do you care?"

"No. I just want to know."

"I might stick around for a while."

She stayed behind him, but picked up the pace a little. "You can leave, Hiei. I'm tired anyway."

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, a human probably doesn't last long with demons."

He stopped and turned on her. "Tired of life? You want to die?"

Her fingers touched the makeshift bandage on her wrist. "I'm not objected to it."

His eyes searched hers. "What kind of human are you? Where is the emotion?"

With the same dullness as every other action, she held up her bloody arms. "Cut me and I bleed. But I don't feel the pain anymore. Happiness was useless so I killed it. Hope only made it hurt so I stopped. Despair only made him smile so I let it go. The pain gave him satisfaction so I ignored every crying nerve until they just quit sending signals.

"Emotions are sore companions, Hiei. Especially in a place like that."

The demon stepped back, holding in a sigh of contempt.

"Food," she mumbled, falling into Hiei suddenly.

He caught her. "Food?" Touching her back, he pulled away a bloody hand. "You're dying. All because you can't feel. All because you're trying to be more than you are."

Readjusting her in his arms, he took off at an alarming speed toward civilization.

* * *

Man, I missed giving cliffhangers! Let me know whatcha think!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Still hopin' for feedback. Enjoy Chapter 2!

* * *

Why Do You Care?

Darkfire lurched forward from unconsciousness. As her heart slowed, she looked around. The walls were covered with strange designs that she could find no words to describe. A curtain hung over the door on her left; a bare window on her right. Her bed was on the ground and her pillow a rolled up blanket. No bandages covered her skin.

No wounds either.

The curtain drew back enough for Hiei to come in.

He did not smile in greeting.

"Come on." Then he left.

She pulled gently from the bed and got up. Her feet carried her faithfully to the doorway. Upon pulling back the curtain, she was greeted with cold glares.

Hiei grabbed her arm and pulled her out the door. "We gotta get you some new clothes."

"Why?"

"You smell like blood." He pushed her into a building and up a flight of stairs. Opening a door at the top of the landing, he forced her in. Before entering himself, he looked around the hall. Then he shut and locked the door.

She sat on the floor, watching him move to the window and draw the curtains.

Only then did he turn on the ceiling light.

He rummaged through a small chest and pulled out a pair of black pants. Then he tossed a black tank top at her. It had a turtleneck-type collar, but it was extremely loose. Closing the trunk, he stood and motioned her over. Getting up, she picked up the pants he'd let behind and hurried to him. He opened another door and shoved her in.

"Clean up in there. There's a shower and stuff," he said.

Before he shut the door, she asked, "Do you have any scissors?"

"I think there's some in the cabinet." Then he pulled the door closed.

Darkfire put her new clothes down on the sink. She turned on the water in the tub and let it get hot while she looked for the scissors. Finding them quickly, she began cutting away her long hair.

And she kept cutting until she looked like a boy.

Then she pulled the stopper up and got in the shower, dirty clothes and all.

The warm water washed over her bloody, grimy skin. She shed her clothes, and sat on the bottom of the tub. Her fingers wrapped around a bar of soap and began washing her body. Then she washed her clothes. Finally her hair.

Turning off the water, she wrung out her clothes as much as she could before hanging them over the edge of the bath. She found a towel and dried herself off. Then she dried her bra as dry as it would get, putting it on. Darkfire pulled on the black pants, tightening the straps around her ankles. Next she slid on the oversized tank top. She tucked it into her pants, and then pulled most of it back out so it folded over the edge of the waistband.

She opened the door and stepped out.

"There's some food in the kitchen," Hiei announced, passing her with a mere glance.

"Thanks."

Then he stopped and looked at her again. "Darkfire?"

"Yes. I know, I cut my hair. I never liked it long."

He nodded, glancing back into the bathroom.

She looked back too. "I'll clean it up after I get some food. If that's all right."

"You can do whatever the hell you want."

"Whatever I want?"

The demon started back towards the kitchen. He'd almost forgotten that she didn't have that luxury for five years. Stopping again, he looked over at her. "Sure, you don't have to ask my permission. Unless you want to go out. Make sure you tell me."

Darkfire nodded once.

"Right." He finally made it to the kitchen, the girl right behind him.

There was a small plate of cold ham in the center. A box of crackers sat beside it.

"It isn't a lot," he said, sitting.

"It's a feast." She pulled out a chair and grabbed a slice of ham. Folding it, she got two crackers and made a small sandwich.

"Feast? What did you eat?" He picked at a bit of the meat.

"Sometimes a stale piece of bread. Water mostly."

Hiei almost felt sorry. He was not a compassionate demon so it was difficult to feel that kind of emotion. What he could not understand, though, was her want to close off _all_ emotions. Pain was a valuable feeling; it allowed one to sense danger and one's own limits. Anger, some small twinge of happiness, fear, hope…these all helped one survive. And she shut them all off. She did not just dim them down, she destroyed them.

He had seen her picture in the file Koenma, the prince of Reikai, had given them before the mission. She had looked happy, full of human emotion. There was life in her eyes and a smile on her face.

That smile…would she ever use it again?

"Hiei, is something wrong?"

"What?" He blinked, finding himself already staring at her. "No, I'm fine."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"What would make you say that?"

"You've done nothing but stare coldly at me for the last minute. I thought—"

"No, you didn't do anything. Eat."

She obeyed quietly. Then she said, "What I ate depended on how well I obeyed his wishes. That's why I didn't eat well: I did everything in my power to disobey. I paid in blood for it."

His eyes turned to the ham. "I saw the scars. They're worse and in greater number than even mine."

"You're a fighter."

"Yes." As she started making another "sandwich," he added, "Don't eat too much. You'll die."

Finishing what she had, she sat back. "Why do you care?"

That was the question he'd been asking himself the moment they got the case.

_That smile_.

Was that really it?

"Hiei?"

"I don't know why I care. I just wanted to get back home."

"Is it nice? To be back home?"

"It feels the same." His eyes came back to hers. "Do you miss yours?"

"Not anymore, not really. I used to, but it hurt too much. I don't remember much about it anyway. It was a long time ago."

"_Don't expect her to be happy."_ That's what Koenma had told them before they left. So he did not imagine such. Still, he had anticipated _some_ kind of emotion from her. Here she was, though, brutally honest and as stone.

He stood. "Wait here," he ordered quietly. His padded feet carried him silently into the front room and to the door. With excessive speed, he opened the door.

Kurama's hand hung in the air, ready to knock.

"Fox."

"Over excited are we?" the red-head smiled.

He stepped back, letting the taller demon in before shutting and locking the door once more.

"How is she?"

Hiei called, "You can come out now, girl."

Darkfire had not really intended on getting up, but since the demon seemed to desire her company she walked to him. "Hello, Kurama," she greeted. No emotion.

"Hello," he replied. "You cut your hair. It suits you!"

"It makes her look like a boy," Hiei huffed.

"I know," she said. She touched it; an automatic reaction that had remained intact.

The fox put his hand over hers softly, but she pulled sharply away.

Anger flashed across her eyes and her jaw tightened. She took a firm but light stance.

Kurama held his palms to her. "Forgive me; I did not think."

Emotion.

"Darkfire, calm down. He only touched you," Hiei said, moving for her.

Her long nails lashed out at him; he avoided easily.

Fear.

He grabbed her wrist and twisted it behind her. A sickening crack sounded as she popped her shoulder from its socket and twisted around to face him. In shock, he let go. When she slashed with her other hand, his right flew up in a block. Her nails ripped through the bandages and cut his skin.

Anger.

She stumbled back, her first clumsy, uncalculated move so far.

Hiei took this chance to get her in a firm hold.

As expected, she struggled violently.

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. Her teeth got a grip on his bicep. When he did not react to her satisfaction, she bit harder and shook her head a little. He flinched this time, but resulted in him tightening upon her.

"Relax, damn it! I'm not gunna rape you!" he snarled.

For a second she tensed, and then relaxed in his arms.

Kurama and Hiei's eyes met.


	3. Chapter 3

I Can't Repair Bone

"Stop moving, damn it!" Hiei growled, pushing Darkfire back down.

"Stop touching me!" she fired back, right arm still useless.

"I'm trying to put your arm back in place! I'll sit on you if I have to!"

She tired to punch him again, but Kurama grabbed her fist. Her eyes blazed on him.

He smiled best he could. "Just let him. Then we'll leave you be."

Her muscles relaxed once more and she lay still. Hiei sighed. Without further hesitation, he jerked her arm strangely to one side and then pushed it back in place with a fierce pop.

Then the two demons backed down.

"There, now you can run rampant again," Hiei huffed.

Darkfire did not move. Her eyes were once more lifeless.

The fox's jaw tightened. His saddened orbs looked over at the small demon.

Hiei's brows knitted. "That was your defense, wasn't it? That's what kept him from breaking you, wasn't it? All your dead emotions revive at once to give you the energy to fight back. The greatest and most dangerous defense a human could have."

"Whatever made me human is dead. I am merely a short-lived icicle," Darkfire said. It seemed a defensive remark, but it did not sound like one.

No emotion was placed behind it.

Kurama went to touch her hand, but stopped, remembering last time.

Noticing the recall, Hiei decided he was not so nice. He grabbed Darkfire's arm in a vice grip. Immediately, she reacted to him. She attempted to tear her limb from him, but to no avail. Her leg came up and connected with the side of his head. With an angry yell, he flipped her, pinning one arm beneath her and the other behind her back.

Darkfire managed to hook her leg around his neck.

When he tried to pull away, she tightened and brought the other up in a tight lock.

"Hiei!" Kurama yelled, standing.

It had all happened so fast.

"Damn it, she doesn't think! She's too spasmodic!" Hiei hissed.

"Darkfire, let him go," the fox said gently. She was curled in an awkward position; he almost wondered if it hurt. _She does not feel_.

Her eyes were wide and ablaze. An inferno of emotion burned new and fresh.

Hiei tried very little to escape. He was thinking.

"What is it, Hiei?"

"Five years of her hands being bound, of course she's learned to use other means of attack and defense. But such quick reflexes—I never expected. I can't read her at all. And her strength is surprising. Without feeling, I'd have to break her legs to free myself. It's fascinating."

He winced as her knee under his neck pushed harder on his Adam's apple.

"Is she thinking now?" Kurama asked.

"She's repeating."

"I don't understand."

"Whatever is said, she repeats in her mind until there's something new to repeat."

Kurama once more looked into her eyes. They were moving in deliberate patterns. Much of her sight, he could tell, was peripheral.

"Hiei," he said, "she's calculating." Slowly, he brought his eyes up.

"What?"

"Are you sure she's not thinking?"

It was too late.

Shifting just enough, Darkfire pulled her left arm from under her and elbowed Hiei in the face. Then her fingers caught Kurama's exposed cheek. She locked with his eyes as he fell away.

In anger, Hiei rammed his fist through Darkfire's shoulder.

Her shoulder joint cracked and splintered and gave way.

She screamed.

"Darkfire!" Kurama gasped.

_She screamed_.

Her body went limp and she unfolded.

Hiei pulled away, pulling larger bone fragments from his bloody fist.

The girl's eyes faded back to darkness.

Kurama held her wound; she did not fight back. "Hiei, why?"

"I don't know."

"Hiei!"

"I don't know! Suddenly, she was an enemy!"

His slender fingers pushed into the gash, gauging what all was wrong. The bones were beyond his skill to repair. "Destroyed. Hiei, you destroyed her arm. I can't—"

"You can. And you will."

"It's beyond my ability! You know that!"

"Will you be the one to cut her arm off then?"

"Hiei—!"

"Kurama! She's gone her whole life intact! Try!"

The fox removed his fingers and stared into the mess. "I can't repair bone."

Hiei wiped his hand on the blanket. "So, replace it."

Taking in a deep breath, Kurama pulled a variety of seeds from his hair. He picked one and pushed it into her shoulder. It germinated and spread to the bones still mostly intact, forming a rather odd-looking shoulder. Then he inserted another seed, which sprouted into thin green veins to replace the damaged ones. He held his lightly glowing hand over the wound, re-growing her skin.

"She may reject it," he said finally, sitting back and sighing.

"She won't." Hiei allowed his fist to relax, color returning to his knuckles.

"Bastard," Darkfire murmured. She blinked.

His red eyes flashed down to her.

"Touch me again and I'll kill you."

"You wish."

"I promise." Her dull eyes brightened for a split second with malice.

Emotion.


	4. Chapter 4

It's Not Like You

Kurama closed the door to the back room and came into the kitchen. With a sigh, he sat at the table. He pulled out a cracker and pressed it to his lips, but he did not eat it, simply sat staring into nothingness.

"Did she finally fall asleep?" Hiei asked, putting the plate of ham in the fridge.

"Yea, just all of the sudden. She'd pushed her body to its max, I guess."

"Well, it's not like she can feel anything. Everything necessary to tell her brain she's tired has been severed."

"Yes." He blinked and looked over at the demon. "Just do us all a favor."

"What?"

"Don't touch her any more."

Hiei slammed the refrigerator door shut, only to have it swing back open. He pushed it closed.

"I mean it, Hiei. You heard her; she means it."

"I'm staying with her, damn it! I'll set her on a rampage if I want!"

The fox stood, smashing the cracker against the table.

Their eyes met.

"It's the only emotion she has, Kurama. I—" He stopped himself.

Kurama's gaze softened a little. "You what?"

His eyes glanced off. "She screamed when I hit her. Her entire body fell apart. Kurama, she _felt_ when I hurt her. Even if that's the only way to make her feel something, I have to try. We have to try, don't we?"

"My dearest friend, what on earth has gotten into you?"

He looked to the fox's smiling lips.

"You've changed so much since we first met. Humans have a good effect on you." He chuckled warmly, sitting back down.

"Shut up. It just doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't?"

"Letting her live without feeling. You saw her file; she used to be human."

"She still is human."

"She's a shell. You heard her; everything that made her human is gone—besides her short life. The only time she's human is when she's threatened. That's not good enough."

Kurama took another cracker from the box and ate it.

"Say something!"

"You want to see her smile, don't you?"

Hiei faltered, feet spreading to steady himself.

"I have witnessed the softening of the hardest of hearts by a simple smile."

"You've witnessed nothing, fox."

"Ever since Koenma gave us this case, you've been—"

"Eager to return home! But seeing her like this is wrong, Kurama. Being secretive about your emotions is one thing, but this—this is different."

"You don't have to hide around me, Hiei."

"I'm not hiding! She'll _die_, Kurama, if we don't do something."

He closed his green eyes. "Like what, Hiei?"

The demon threw his hands into the air. "I don't know. Something. Anything."

"That's the way to start."

"If I can just get her to the point of feeling pain, Yuusuke and Kuwabara can take care of the human stuff. And you can teach her what they leave out."

"Hiei, our mission was—is—to save her and hold her until the prophecy is fulfilled. Not to start a revelation." He looked up at his friend. "Why do you care so much about what happens to her? It's not like you."

"We haven't saved her at all if we don't help her now."

"You didn't answer my question."

With a great sigh, Hiei sat, rested his elbows on the table, and put his face in his hands. "I don't know why I care, Kurama. Really I don't. But the moment I saw her picture, something strange and new welled up inside me. This feeling out ranked every other ambition in my twisted heart. It faded when I was told I might be returning to Makai for a while, but when I saw her in that dark cell for the first time, it came right back."

"Love at first sight, perhaps?"

"Don't be an idiot." He blindly pulled a handful of crackers out and through them childishly at Kurama.

Then he stood, as if remembering something of dire importance.

The fox brushed a cracker from his chest. "Something the matter?"

"She left a mess in the bathroom that she said she'd clean later."

"Then it will probably be done. Relax."

"Maybe we should clean it for her. Seeing as how she's been a slave for so long."

"That would be nice. But I must be getting back."

Hiei brought his eyes back to the fox as he stood. "What?"

"I've wasted more time than I intended to here. I promised Mother that I'd grocery shop this evening. Please forgive my sudden escape." He bowed a little and then let himself out of the apartment room.

The demon did not bother to care, though. He walked briskly to a shoddy-looking pantry and opened the broken door. From the shelf, he pulled out a dust pan, and then a broom off the wall. Hiei walked briskly to the open bathroom and began sweeping up the hair.

Then he stopped.

"All for that girl?" He rubbed his nose absently.

_That smile_.

He finished sweeping the mess and dumped it in the waste bin, straightening.

His eyes narrowed. "For the sake of a human with no feelings. She probably wouldn't have even cared. Why do I? For a smile I've never really seen?"

The empty dust pan hit the floor with a loud clatter.

"Why?"

How many times could he ask himself that and not receive an answer? Forever, if he really wanted to. Hiei was looking for an answer, though. How long would it take him to tire of being given none?

Darkfire leaned in the doorway. "Why does it matter? At least you feel."

Hiei spun around.

"At least you can feel something anymore."

"Do you want to feel again?"

"I don't care."

Of course that would be her answer. "I think you do."

"How can you be so certain?"

"Your eyes."

"What about them?"

"They tell me so." He let the broom rest against the sink. "They yearn for it."

She stepped back when he reached for her. "I haven't forgotten. You shouldn't either. Touch me again, I'll kill you."

Emotion.

* * *

Eh, so Kurama was a little sarcastic, perhaps even cynical. But it served my purpose.


	5. Chapter 5

That's What "Good" Tastes Like

Hiei hesitated before finally letting his hand fall. The fire in Darkfire's eyes had once more retreated into nothingness. He had never seen anyone with blue eyes before. When she had life behind them, they were brighter than the bluest sky. Now they seemed like deep oceans from which all life had fled.

"Stop staring at me," she said dully.

"Why should I?"

"Because he used to stare at me."

His eyes averted momentarily.

"_I have witnessed the softening of the hardest of hearts by a simply smile."_

"Smile." He looked to her again as the corners of her mouth lifted.

It had all the semblance of a real smile, but it was missing the most important ingredient: Emotion. She did not mean it at all. Rather, she was merely performing a task that her brain remembered from years of practice.

Did she know it was hollow?

"Can I stop now?"

He sighed and picked up the dust pan. "Yea."

Her mouth fell to a single line just as meaningless as her smile.

"Is my skin soft?" she asked, though it sounded like every other sentence.

Hiei straightened, almost dropping the pan again. "What?"

"People used to say my skin was soft. I was just suddenly curious."

"Oh, yea, I guess so."

She looked at her hands. They trembled, but she knew not why.

"You should go eat a little more."

"I'm not hungry."

"Your body says otherwise."

Her fingers curled into her palms. "How do you know what I do not?"

His brows knitted. "You don't feel anything, remember? You said so yourself. Hunger causes pain, and you ignored pain. I know because I understand the signs."

"Shaking hands is a sign?"

"Plus, you didn't eat well in your captivity."

A low rumble came from her stomach.

"That's the obvious sign."

"I remember that sound. I remember I used to sometimes ignore it."

The demon walked from the bathroom, leaving the broom.

Darkfire followed thoughtfully.

He glanced back at her. She was thinking such strange things that meant very little to him. _Apple. Red. Green. Yellow. Heart. Torn. Gone._ What connection was there? Any at all? Why could she no longer think in full sentences?

_Hiei. Apples?_

"What?" he said aloud, turning.

She looked at him. "What?"

"Nothing. Forget it." He shook his head and put the dust pan back in the pantry.

_Apples._

"Ok." She stood by a chair, but did not sit.

_Apples._

"What do you want to eat?"

_Apples._

"Dunno. What's good?"

_Apples._

His fist clenched. "Stop thinking about 'apples' for five seconds, will ya!" he snapped. Then he calmed himself.

"Are apples good?"

"Darkfire…yes, apples can taste good. Is that what you want?"

She shrugged.

Hiei opened the fridge and looked around. He grabbed a bright red apple from the door. "Here, an apple. Eat it." Setting it on the table, he returned to the cold machine and looked for something more filling.

Her fingers wrapped around the fruit. "Apple."

The demon cringed.

Darkfire bit into it, chewed, and swallowed. "Hiei, what does 'good' taste like?"

He eyed the steak knives as he closed the door, turning to her. "What?"

"You said apples can taste 'good'. Well, what does 'good' taste like?"

"You can't recall the taste of an apple?"

She shook her head. "Only the taste of dry sand fills my mouth anymore."

How does one describe "good"? Better question: How does one describe "good" to a person with no feeling or emotions?

"Do…do you remember the feeling of the wind on your face?"

Her eyes closed. "No."

Brick wall. He took the apple from her and examined it. Then he took a knife from the counter and cut a wedge. "Hold out your hand." When she did, he squeezed some juice into her palm. "That's what 'good' tastes like."

Darkfire stared at the sticky liquid pooled in her hand.

Hiei hoped it might work.

"Juicy. I remember that word. Juicy equals apple. Apple is juicy."

His gaze brightened.

"Juicy is 'good'. Apple is 'good'." She nodded. "Good."

He returned the red fruit to her, eating the slice he had cut away.

She looked up at him. Her eyes were not as dark and distant as before. A small light had been lit within the vastness of the deeps seas that were her eyes. Behind all the depression and unfelt pain, the doubt and underlying animosity, there was hope, reaching desperately for the surface. A simple child trapped beneath the rumble of a shattered existence. Waiting, wanting to smile again.

"Do you like how 'good' tastes?" she asked him.

The demon reached for a towel and wiped the juice from her hand silently.

"Hiei?" She pulled away.

"Yes, 'good' tastes just fine. Many things taste 'good'. I'm just thinking of what to give you next. Maybe you'll remember."

"Maybe." She took another bite of her treat. Then she stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"I taste it. The apple. I remember the taste of apples."

Break through!

"The sand is gone, Hiei. I can taste the apple."

Despite her remembrance, her voice and face did not reflect happiness.

"That's what 'good' tastes like," Hiei repeated.

"I want…I want…." She hesitated, the words strange to her now.

"What, Darkfire? What do you want?"

Her eyes came up to him. "I want more."


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter is rather short. Sorry.

* * *

It's Going to Happen at One Time or Another

Hiei tossed the knife in the sink. "More what? More apples?"

Darkfire shook her head. "More things that taste 'good'. More things that are 'good'."

"You want that?"

"I want to remember, Hiei. For the first time in a long while, I _want_ something."

He smirked. "Good."

* * *

"Are you serious?" Yuusuke laughed. 

Kurama nodded. "He really wants to help this human girl."

"Man, you'd never guess by looking at him." His eyes turned to Kuwabara, whom was lost in thought. "You sure have been quiet. I thought you'd be poking all sorts of fun."

"I've just been thinking about the prophecy, is all," the boy answered.

"What about it?"

"About what it said. 'When It All returns, Hell with live on Earth, and only the death of It All can return the norm.' I was just thinking about 'It All'."

"Koenma said Darkfire is 'It All', that's why Hiei has her. If something happens, he'll stop it. He knows what has to be done if she turns into a demon. That's also why she's in Makai. She can't bring Hell to Earth if she isn't on Earth."

Kuwabara shook his head. "But it says 'returns'. From where?"

"Makai, obviously."

"But if he was worried about her coming to Earth, why didn't we just leave her in captivity? Why would we risk it?"

Yuusuke fell silent.

"Kurama, what if 'It All' isn't Darkfire? What if it's _inside_ her?"

"I don't think I understand," the fox said, tilting his head forward.

"You said Hiei was trying to bring her emotions back."

"Yes."

"What if that's 'It All'?"

"You mean…?"

"Yea."

Standing, Yuusuke said, "You mean if Darkfire's emotions return, the prophecy—"

"Yes," Kurama sighed, sitting back. "The prophecy will come true."

"Then we have to stop Hiei!"

"That won't do."

"What d'ya mean? He's smart; he'll listen!"

"He'll listen, but he won't leave her like that."

"Kurama!"

The fox waved his hand. "We'll just have to let Hiei test his little experiment. If and when her feeling does return, Darkfire will have to die. Then the prophecy will come true and end."

"But we can stop it from ever happening!"

Kuwabara's jaw tightened.

"It's a prophecy, Yuusuke. It's going to happen at one time or another."

"But—"

"'It All' isn't specific. We will handle it when it comes."

"Kurama—"

"Yuusuke, enough."

He sat back down, a little surprised by the demon's harsh tone.

The other human leaned forward. "You're waiting for a miracle, aren't you?"

"What?" Kurama said, lifting a brow.

"You want to see what Hiei will do. You want to see if he's really going to help her. You want to see if he'll be hurt when we kill her."

* * *

A dark aura began to spread among the human population. Intangible, unseen, unfelt by the creatures it fed on. No one cared enough to notice. If they had, it would have been nauseating, choking. Something so evil, it was never meant to be born beyond the reaches of Hell. 

Its formless, invisible fingers stretched weakly into the new world.

Undetected by all.

* * *

A/N: Yes, unnaturally short. Only two pages on Word. But I couldn't think of anything else. 


End file.
